With the rapid expansion of the markets of, for example, notebook computers, cellular phones and electric vehicles, high-energy-density secondary batteries are demanded. Nonaqueous electrolyte solution lithium ion or lithium secondary batteries each using for the negative electrode thereof a carbon material, an oxide, a lithium alloy or lithium metal have been attracting attention because they are capable of realizing high energy density.
In the charge-discharge process of this secondary battery, the desorption and absorption reactions of lithium ions occur in the interface between the electrode and the electrolyte solution. Besides these reaction, the decomposition reactions of the electrolyte solution solvent and the supporting electrolyte salt take place to form a film having higher resistance on the electrode surface, which inhibits desorption and absorption reaction of lithium ions which should occur primarily. Consequently, for example, an irreversible degradation of the discharge capacity is promoted so as to lead to the degradation of the battery, and hence, various contrivances have been made in order to suppress such degradation.
As an example of such contrivances, there may be mentioned a method for suppressing the decomposition reactions by forming a protective film on the surface of the electrode, and as a mean thereof, there is proposed the addition of a cyclic disulfonic acid ester as an additive having a film forming ability to the electrolyte solution. For example, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 disclose that the use of a cyclic disulfonic acid ester as an additive to the electrolyte solution forms a more stable film on the electrode surface than the use of a cyclic monosulfonic acid ester as an additive, leading to the improvement of the battery properties. Patent Literature 3 describes the improvement of the battery properties through the use of a cyclic or linear disulfonic acid ester having an unsaturated bond.